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It’s been a while since we checked on the weird and increasingly worrying world of AI.
However, things are moving so fast right now that what you’re reading might already have been revealed as untrue.
For instance, last week there was concern when Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok reportedly made antisemitic comments. The Washington Post subsequently reported the US Defence Department had signed contracts to use Grok. Strange times.
And that’s before we examine The Velvet Sundown ...
First, because this whole AI music thing has the potential to alarm and depress, let me mention music as far removed from AI as possibly: two new New Zealand country albums. Country music inhabits open plains of sincerity and honesty, not afraid to walk the borders of sentimentality and kitsch to get there. It is all AI is not.
NZ’s country queen
Tami Neilson has released the fantastic Neon Cowgirl. With a nod to Al Hunter’s groundbreaking 1989 album Neon Cowboy, and a duet with Neil Finn, perhaps this, after her recent tour supporting Willie Nelson, will break her into the American market. She is clearly New Zealand’s ruling Country Queen.
Tami Neilson and Willie Nelson. Photo / Supplied
The Warratahs also have a new album out titled Burning Daylight, a mix of new studio recordings and live songs. Full disclosure here – I love The Warratahs, so don’t expect me to be in any way objective.
This is their first album since the death of revered drummer Mike Knapp; his place is taken by Caroline Easther, an inspired choice, who was the drummer on Barry Saunders’ magnificent 1998 solo record Magnetic South, which sits happily in my Top 10 Kiwi albums. Caroline also sings with Barry: it’s a thing of beauty.
The Warratahs. Photo / Supplied
But the band most in the headlines recently, after their song Dust In The Wind received millions of listens on Spotify, is The Velvet Sundown. The song is overearnest soulless swill, probably a rude thing to say given how people are lapping it up.
You probably know how this story ends – it was all AI-generated. News went around the world, fuelled by a Rolling Stone article headlined: “AI ‘band’ The Velvet Sundown used Suno, as an ‘Art Hoax’ spokesman admits”. Okay. Case closed.
The Warratahs. Photo / Supplied
There’s more!
But wait, there’s more! Days later that headline disappeared from Rolling Stone. Replacing it was: “‘Spokesman’ for AI ‘band’ Velvet Sundown now says he’s a hoaxer”.
Confused? Let me try and explain. It seems The Velvet Sundown, while successfully getting Spotify’s dubious algorithms to push their rubbish song, neglected to follow up on social media, or even register accounts there.
So some enterprising chap did that, pretending to be the band, amassing millions of followers. Then he waited for journalists to come calling, many of whom ignored fact-checking and just wrote down and printed what he said. That’s the first headline.
It wasn’t an “art hoax”. It may or may not be made by Suno. And still nobody seems to know who, where or what the “real” band is. Or are.
Hear Winston’s latest Playlist: https://tinyurl.com/3tnyrd59